Campaigning for phase II Karnataka polls peaks

Bangalore, May 13 (UNI) With less than 24 hours left for curtains to come down, campaigning reached a crescendo for the second phase of Assembly elections in Karnataka.

Polling will be held on May 16 for 66 Assembly seats in ten districts in the varied terrains of coastal, Western Ghats and the central plains of Karnataka in which electoral fortune of BJP's Chief Ministerial Candidate B S Yeddyurappa would be decided.

Mr Yeddyurappa faces the acid test in Shikaripur as he is pitted against Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party State Chief S Bangarappa.

In their bid to ensure the BJP's defeat, both the Congress and the JD(S) have withdrawn their candidates.

Top political leaders, including AICC President Sonia Gandhi, Amar Singh and Jayaprada of Samajawadi Party, Hemamalini and Sushma Swaraj of BJP and JD(S) Supremo H D Deve Gowda addressed election meetings to woo the voters.

BJP, banking on its winning 37 seats in 2004 elections from these districts, hopes to increase the number this time.